CONFERENCE DAY ONE
8:00 am Registration & Networking
Fast Tracking Frontline Career Paths with Comprehensive University Programs to Close Technical skills Gaps
8:50 am Chair’s Opening Remarks
9:00 am Discover: Setting Up an Internal University Within Your Organization
Synopsis
- How can we steepen the learning curve and provide comprehensive training?
- Create an internal university within your organization
- Discover how Lexicon started an internal university consisting of 150 classes, from sourcing funding to the logistics of creating classes
9:20 am Discover: Developing a Comprehensive Project Management Training Program to Upskill and Retain Talent
Synopsis
- Understand the rationale behind launching a company-wide training initiative to train and retain employees from within
- Learn about the ‘Brennan University’ program, including the 12-week/24-week curriculum, online courses, small group discussions, and strategies for quantifying the impact of training programs, such as measuring speed to autonomy for new hires and collecting feedback from participants
- Explore how J F Brennan Co. implemented a multi-level project management training program, known as ‘Brennan University’, to standardize processes, improve new hire onboarding, and provide a valuable career development pathway for its 125 operational employees
9:40 am Discover: Strategies for Attracting, Training & Retaining Construction Talent
Synopsis
- How can construction companies build a strong pipeline of future leaders amid a growing talent shortage?
- Explore strategies such as structured training, mentorship, university partnerships, and adaptable learning programs to develop project managers and engineers
- These initiatives enhance employee growth, improve retention, and demonstrate measurable ROI, ensuring long-term workforce sustainability
10:00 am Develop: Closing the Skills Gap Through Fast-Tracked Career Paths & Building a Leadership Pipeline
Synopsis
Question & Answer Session Facilitated by the Focus Day Chair
- Fast-tracking career paths and building a leadership pipeline in the construction industry are crucial for closing skills gaps and ensuring a steady flow of qualified professionals
- Address the aging workforce and prepare the next generation of leaders, and enhance overall project efficiency and safety
- By investing in training and development, construction companies can retain valuable knowledge and foster a culture of continuous improvement
10:20 am Action: How Are You Going to Fast-Track Career Paths in Your organization?
Synopsis
- How can we increase the speed to autonomy for new employees?
- How can we create visibility of development opportunities?
- How can we expedite knowledge and time?
- How can we balance tenure with career progression opportunities?
- How can we accelerate the development of our employees without creating skills gaps?
- What are the characteristics of high potentials, and how can we build on them?
10:40 am Networking Break
Navigating Generational Differences & the Changing Construction Workforce to Deliver Training that Resonates
11:40 am Discover: Developing a Comprehensive Talent Pipeline: Hoffman Construction’s Innovative Internship and New Hire Training Program
Synopsis
- How can we create a robust system to support talent development for interns and new hires?
- Discover Hoffman’s model for an supportive internship program, focusing on consistent core training elements and department-specific components
- The program has achieved a 94% return rate for interns and an 85% new graduate conversion rate, significantly higher than industry standards, leading to faster competency and increased retention
12:00 pm Discover: Managing Gen Z & Advancing Women in Construction
Synopsis
- How can construction companies adapt to the evolving workforce and create career opportunities for underrepresented groups?
- Explore strategies for engaging Gen Z through hands-on learning and career development, while also building pathways for women in a male-dominated industry
- These approaches foster a more inclusive, motivated workforce, ensuring long-term talent retention and leadership growth
12:20 pm Discover: Developing a Comprehensive Onboarding Program to Accelerate New Hire Success
Synopsis
- How can construction companies create a seamless and effective onboarding experience for new employees?
- Explore how Gray Construction designed ‘GrayFusion’ —a 4-day orientation covering company culture, values, and role-specific training tracks.
- The program has led to reduced errors and safety incidents, improved alignment with company procedures, and continues to evolve through learner focused enhancements.
12:40 pm Develop: Navigating Generational Differences in the Construction Industry
Synopsis
Question & Answer Session Facilitated by the Focus Day Chair
- Foster collaboration and leverage diverse perspectives
- Understanding the unique skills and values of each generation – from baby boomers to Gen Z – to enhance productivity and innovation
- Adapt to the changing workforce, including the integration of technology and new work practices, to stay competitive and address labor shortages
1:00 pm Action: How Are You Going to Cater to the Changing Workforce?
Synopsis
- How can we implement reverse mentoring or create more organic mentorship?
- What do we think about our tenured generations not wanting to learn as much, do we aid them in creating a legacy instead?
- Food for thought: Generational differences vs personality type?
1:20 pm Lunch & Networking
Creating a Culture of Learning in Construction For Our Frontline to Own Their Careers
2:10 pm Discover: Building a Culture of Learning and Engagement in a Decentralized Construction Company
Synopsis
- How can we combat the challenges of building a learning culture in a company with 1,700 decentralized employees and change the company mindset towards embracing continuous learning?
- How to create a ‘learn to earn’ program to incentivize employee participation in training and development
- How Big-D Construction have implemented a ‘learn to earn’ program, including how it works, the metrics used to track success, and the lessons learned in making it an effective tool for engaging employees in their own professional development
2:30 pm Discover: Empowering Employees to Own Their Development: A Case Study of The Haskell Company’s ‘My Development’ Program
Synopsis
- How can we get employees to take ownership of their individual growth?
- Identifying skill gaps, accessing personalized learning resources, and aligning development to their roles and career aspirations.
- The Haskell Company will discuss the process of mapping competencies to roles, curating a robust learning ecosystem, and leveraging technology to deliver a personalized learning experience.
2:50 pm Develop: Creating a Culture of Learning to Equip Our Teams with the Latest Skills & Knowledge
Synopsis
Question & Answer Session Facilitated by the Focus Day Chair
- Stay competitive and address evolving challenges
- Enhance workforce retention, improve safety and compliance, and in turn, boost productivity and innovation
3:10 pm Action: How Are You Going to Foster an Environment Where Employees Want to Learn?
Synopsis
- How can we inspire a culture of learning, particularly amongst the younger generation?
- How are others using rewarded recognition?
- How can we show appreciation for exhibited desirable behaviors?
- Should we implement Learn 2 earn programs?
- How can we create visibility into how one can own their career?
3:30 pm Networking Break
Leveraging Leadership Development Programs to Strengthen the Leadership Bench
4:00 pm Discover: Developing High-Potential Leaders: Balancing Expectations, Feedback, and Emotional Intelligence
Synopsis
- How can we build emotional intelligence in our leaders, in addition to technical skills, to ensure long-term success?
- Groom young leaders early, so that we can take a value-driven approach to leadership
- How Moss & Associates’ address the challenges of transitioning high-potential individual contributors into leadership roles and emphasize the need for self-awareness and the ability to handle the responsibilities of management including the importance of transparency and stakeholder engagement when implementing new leadership development programs
4:20 pm Discover: Accelerating Leadership Development in the Construction Industry
Synopsis
- How can young professionals in construction reach senior leadership positions earlier than the average?
- Learn the key factors that enabled these high-potential individuals to fast-track their career progression, including strategies for identifying and developing future leaders
- Learn Limbach’s practical methodology to build a strong leadership pipeline and overcome the perception of the construction industry as less ‘sexy’ compared to other sectors
4:40 pm Discover: Building Strong Managers and Leaders in Construction
Synopsis
- How can construction companies define and develop the soft skills needed for effective leadership and career growth?
- Explore Hazelden Construction’s approach, including role excellence profiles, targeted manager training, and career ladders to clarify expectations and support advancement.
- These initiatives have enhanced leadership effectiveness, improved manager-employee conversations, and created a more transparent path for professional growth.
5:00 pm Develop: Leveraging Leadership Development Programs to Ensure a Steady Pipeline of Qualified Leaders
Synopsis
Question & Answer Session Facilitated by the Focus Day Chair
- Strengthen the leadership bench and address skills gaps
- Cultivate essential leadership skills, improve team management and enhance overall project outcomes
5:20 pm Action: How Are You Going to Create Autonomous & Empowered Leaders?
Synopsis
- How can we create timely first line manager training?
- How can we make sure we have a pipeline for leadership at all levels?
- How can we build leadership pipelines and identify high potentials?
- Equipping first line managers to have career conversations with their employees